Judge likely to dismiss Mardi Gras racial discrimination lawsuit

View full size(Press-Register/Ryan Dezember)A masker tosses a plastic cup to revelers who lined the streets of the Eastern Shore Centre to watch the Crewe de Spaniards march in Baldwin's first Mardi Gras parade of the 2007 season. A federal judge was set to consider damages against the group in a discrimination lawsuit on Tuesday, July 6, 2010, but the plaintiff's lawyers did not attend a hearing.

MOBILE, Ala. -- A federal judge was supposed to decide today how much money to award a black woman who claimed she was turned away from a Mardi Gras party two years ago because of her race.

But the woman's attorneys did not show up, and Chief U.S. District Judge William Steele has indicated he will dismiss the lawsuit.

One of the plaintiff's attorneys, A.J. Cooper, said he was working on a deadline and could not comment until later today.

The result of today's no-show is that plaintiff Naomi Williams will not get any money from Le Crewe de Spaniards, a now-defunct Mardi Gras organization that staged parades for several years in Spanish Fort.

It is unclear whether Williams, as a practical matter, would have been able to collect anyway. The group is no longer intact and its members appear to have scattered.

Steele last month ruled that Le Crewe de Spaniards was in default after it failed to defend against the lawsuit or attend court hearings.

The Fairhope woman earlier settled out of court with Veterans of Foreign War Post 5660 in Fairhope, where the March 2008 toga party was held.

Williams claimed in her lawsuit that she arrived at the toga party with two white friends but was told she could not come in. The civil complaint quoted a man with a muscle shirt and jean shorts as saying, "This is nothing against you; it is just your color. We don't accept blacks at our parties."

Le Crewe de Spaniards' insurance company originally hired a Mobile law firm to fight the allegations, but the attorneys asked to withdraw from the case after the insurance firm determined it had no liability.

Since then, Le Crewe de Spaniards has not put up any defense.

Williams' lawyers, too, have missed court appearances and filing deadlines. Steele last month warned that failure to show up Tuesday would result in dismissal.